Car coupling



Nd Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. L. WOOD.

GAR COUPLING. No. 391,572. Patented Oct. 23, 1888.

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CAR COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,572. dated October 23, 1888.

Application filed July 17, 1888. Serial No. 280,179. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PARKER L. WVOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Haymakertown, in the county of Botetourt and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-0ouplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplings; andit consists in a certain novel construction and combination of devices, fully set forth hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a perspective view of the improved coupler applied in the operative position to the end of a car. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the sliding plate. Fig. 6 is asimilar view of the pawl and its immediate connections.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the draw-head, which is provided at its rear end with the extension-bar a, which projects through a guide-opening in the strap A, and a represents a spring which is coiled around the rear end of the draw-head and bears against the said strap, whereby the draw-head, after being forced back by its contact with an opposing draw-hcad, will be returned to its previous position. The draw-head slides in suitable keepers, a and a, which pass under the same, and it is provided in its upper side with the longitudinal slot a communicating with the interior opening, c of the drawhead.

In suitable aligned openings, 1) b, in the up per and lower sides of the draw-head, at its front end, is arranged the coupling-pin B, and to an intermediate point of this pin, above the upper side of the draw-head, is pivoted the front end of the operating-arm G, the rear end of which is attached to the rockshaft D, mounted in suitable bearings on the end of the car. This operating-arm comprises the tubular section 0,. which is provided at its front end with the arms 0 c, pivoted on opposite sides of the coupling-pin, and the rod 0 which slides in the said tubular section, and is pro- ,vided on its front end with a head, 0", to prevent it from being entirely withdrawn from the section. It will be seen that when the rockshaft is turned by means of the crank D on its outer end the operating-arm will be raised or lowered and the couplingpin will be similarly operated, and when the draw-head is repressed by the contact of an opposing draw-head the tubular section of the operating-arm will slide on the rod, and the operation of the arm will not be interfered with.

E represents a bracket, which is arranged on the front end of the draw-head, and is provided with an overhanging horizontal portion, E, in which is formed an opening, 0, aligned with the openings 12 b in the draw-head, and on the upper side of the said portion E are pivoted the plates F F, each of which is provided with a half'bearing, f, registering with the opening a, and adapted to receive the upper end of the coupling-pin. The outer edges of these plates are provided with notches f f, and the curved springf which is affixed at its central point to an eye,f, on the upper side of the bracket E, bears at its ends in the said notches and normally presses the plates F toward each other. The spring is held in position by the pivoted latch f, which engages over the spring and holds its ends in engagement with the notches. The shoulder b on the coupling-pin is adapted to strike against the under side of the plates F to limit the upward motion of the pin, the opening 0 in the bracket being made large enough to allow the said shoulder to pass therethrough when the pin is arranged in the draw-head.

On a short shaft, G, which is mounted on the end of the car, is arranged the pawl H, which is adapted to engage apinion, I, on the rock-shaft D, and this shaft G is provided with a depending leaf-spring, g, which projects into the slot a in the upper side of the draw-head and bears against a transverse bar, 9', therein; and it represents a depending arm, which is affixed to the said shaft, and is arranged at its lower end in the said slot.

K represents a sliding plate, which is an ranged in the draw-head, and is provided with the rearward-extending parallel arms k k, which are arranged on opposite sides of the lower end of the arm h. A pivot-pin, k, passes through the lower end of the arm h, and is arranged at its ends in longitudinal slots It in the arms is, whereby the sliding plate is allowed considerable longitudinal movement independent of the arm h,- but when the plate is moved more than a certain amount the lower end of the arm h will be operated. The spring gnormally holds the pawl H in engagement with the ratchet-pinion; but when the sliding plate is forced rearward the lower end of the arm h is operated and the pawl will 'be disengaged. The slots in the arms 7; are designed to allow the draw-head to move longitudinally without disturbing the arm h.

The front end of the sliding plate is provided with a vertical flange, It, against which the front end of the coupling-link (carried by an opposing draw-head) is adapted to strike as it enters the draw-head; and in order to guide the end of the link to the end of the plate an inclined plate, L, is arranged in the draw-head, and is pivoted at its front end to the transverse bar M near the top of the draw head. opening. This plate inclines downward toward its rear end, and is provided with a longitudinal slot, n, which operates on a vertical bar, N; and 0 represents a spring which is coiled on the bar N, and bears at its upper end against the top of the draw-head, and at its lower end on the upper side of the plate L, whereby the rear end of the latter is held pressed down on the sliding plate. As the sliding plate is forced rearward by the incoming link, the flange on its front end bears against the lower side of the inclined plate and raises it slightly; but after the coupling is completed and the link is drawn outward the sliding plate is pressed forward by the spring 9 and the inclined plate returns to its normal position.

The end of the crank-arm D is provided with the weight D adapted to normallyhold the free end of the operating-arm O pressed downward; and P represents a rod or chain which is attached at its lower end to the crankarm and extends above the top of the car within reach of a train-hand, whereby the coupler may be operated from this point.

The operation of the coupler is as follows: To arrange it in position to form a coupling, raise the crank-arm, thereby raising the operatingarm and the coupling-pin, and the parts will be held in the position in which they are placed by the pawl H engaging the pinion I. When the coupling-link carried by an opposing draw-head enters this draw-head, it is guided downward by the inclined plate until it strikes the flange on the front end of the sliding plate, the sliding plate is forced rearward, and the pawl is disengaged from the pinion, thereby allowing the Weighted crankarm to swing downward and cause the coupling-pin to engage the link.

This coupling is automatic, as will be seen, and its action is direct and positive. A jar of the car will not cause the pin to fall prematurely, and the force with which the drawhead is repressed by its contact with the opposing draw-head does not affect the operation of the parts of the coupler, as they are all arranged to allow free movement of the same.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a ear-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, of the rock-shaft provided with aweighted crank-arin, the coupling-pin connected to the rock-shaft by an operating-arm, the spring-actuated pawl engaging a pinion on the rock-shaft and provided with a depending pawl which is arranged at its free end in the draw-head, and the sliding plate adapted to be repressed by the coupling-link and connected to the said depending arm, whereby the pawl is operated, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a car-coupling, the draw-head and the couplingpin arranged in suitable openings therein, in combination with the rock -shaft provided with a weighted crank-arm, the operating-arm on the rock-shaft pivoted at its front end to the coupling-pin, the shaft G, provided with a pawl, H, engaging a pinion on the rock-shaft, the depending arm h, and the sliding plate arranged in the draw-head and connected at its rear end to the lower end of the depending arm, the front end of the said plate being provided with a vertical flange, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a caccoupling, the combination, with the draw-head and the vertical coupling-pin operating therein, of the rock-shaft mounted on the car and provided with an extensible operating-arm pivoted to the coupling pin, whereby as the draw-head is moved longitudinally the said arm is lengthened and shortened, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a car-coupling, the draw-head and the coupling-pin operating therein, in combination with the rock-shaft and the operatingarm comprising the tubular section pivoted to the coupling-pin, and the rod affixed to the rock-shaft and sliding in the said tubular section, substantially as specified.

5. In a ear-coupling, the draw-head having openings b b therein,the coupling-pin arranged in the said openings and provided with a shoulder, b, and operating means for the pin, in combination with the bracket E, provided with a horizontal portion having an opening, 6, and the adjustable plates on the upper side of the said horizontal portion having a hearing formed in their adjacent edges to receive the upper end of the coupling-pin, substantially as specified.

6. In a ear'coupling, the draw-head having openings 1) b therein, the coupling-pin arranged in the openings and provided with a shoulder, b, and operating means for the pin, substantially as described, in combination with the bracket E, provided with the opening 6, the

plates F F, having a bearing between their.

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hold it in place, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a car-coupling the draw-head and the vertical coupling-pin operating therein, in combination with the rock-shaft provided with an operating-arm, O, pivoted at its front end to the pin, the spring-actuated pawl engaging a pinion on the rookshaft and provided with a depending arm, h, the sliding plate in the draw-head provided with a flange on its front end and connected at its rear end to thelower end of the arm h, and the inclined plate arranged in the draw-head and hearing at its rear end on the sliding plate, substantially as specified.

8. In a car-coupling, the draw-head having a pinion on the rock-shaft and provided with a depending arm, h, and the sliding plate in the draw-head adapted to be engaged by the coupling-link and connected at its rear end to the lower end of the arm h, in combination with the inclined plate pivoted at its front edge near the top of the month of the drawhead and provided with a slot operating on a vertical bar, N, and the spring arranged on the said bar and bearing on the inner end of the inclined plate,snhstantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PARKER L. WOOD.

Witnesses:

PHILIP F. Woon, MAT. W001). 

